Inspirations in Istanbul – Day 3 cont’d

Finnish Sign Language Act was approved by the Finnish Parliament in March 2015. However, Finnish Sign Language has been recognised as a natural language and the language of the Deaf community in Finland since 1995.

Jaana Aaltonen, alongside with Pirkko Selin Grönlund and Päivi Rainò, carried out a national survey to collect information and statistics about sign language users and deaf pupils in schools across Finland, and the pedagogic arrangements of sign language in Finnish schools.

Aaltonen said that the number of children using sign language in schools is decreasing at an alarming rate. She hopes that the new Finnish Sign Act (2015) will increase the number of children using sign language in schools. She showed a list of recommendations/solutions based on findings from the national survey:

To promote linguistic rights in basic education and the implementation of it; especially pupils who use Finnish-Swedish sign language.

More guidance for local schools and also more further training for teachers. The responsibility of local Deaf clubs has not been discussed yet.

More Deaf signers to teacher jobs. More learning materials and a pedagogical reform are needed.

More qualitative research is needed.

The main purpose of Finnish Sign Language Act (2015) is to promote the realisation of the linguistic rights of signers. Aaltonen also stressed on the importance of promoting opportunities of signers to use their language and to receive information in their own language.

Use tools to promote linguistic rights for deaf children in education…or use magic with help of Harry Potter? – Aaltonen #WFD2015 — Sherrie Beaver (@isigniwander) July 30, 2015

As a Potterhead, I loved the Harry Potter reference at the end of Aaltonen’s presentation! 😉

Deaf College Students’ Experience with Facebook – Jess Cuculick (Rochester Institute of Technology, USA).This presentation was quite interesting, and rather relevant to my dissertation topic. Cuculick collected data from students at RIT about their Facebook usage. In Cuculick’s reasearch, the concept of Deaf Gain was used, alongside with demographic study, seven consecutive daily logs, field notes from participants and transcripts from focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews. It was quite refreshing to see her explain the methodology used in her research, and gave me an insight of methodologies I would be used for my dissertation.Cuculick found that Deaf college students use Facebook approximately 11 hours per week, so it’s a big part of their lives.

According to Cuculick, Facebook is also used as means of coping. This, I can say, is true. I’ve used Facebook to reach out for help, especially when I was going through a dark time and felt like I had no-one and was completely lost.

Facebook is also used for academic networking and support, as Cuculick has found during her research. Academics also use Facebook to support each other.

Facebook empowers so many people. It has given the Deaf community a platform to have their voice heard on a large public scale. However, it is clear more research is needed in regards to the Deaf community and the impacts of social media.

Deaf Aotearoa NZ’s Unique Partnership with the Ministry of Education, Parents and Educators Has Developed a Climate of Awareness and Cultural Acceptance – Kellye Bensley, Bridget Ferguson & Brian Coffey.

I came into this presentation a couple of minutes after it started, so I missed the beginning. Although, I got the gist that Deaf Aotearoa had worked tiredlessly with Ministry of Education to implement New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) into schools across the country. NZSL is one of the three official languages in New Zealand, alongside with English and Maori. According to Bensley, Ferguson & Coffey, Ministry of Education’s response to the Human Rights Commission NZ’s report ‘A New Era in the Right to Sign’ (2013) was ground-breaking as they identifed the first priority as the right to education for Deaf people and NZSL users.

#wfd2015pic.twitter.com/C8ZxzJdfQN — Markku Jokinen (@MarkkuJokinen) July 30, 2015I love how Deaf Aotearoa is so actively involved in this initative — they’re an epitome of a progressive third-sector/community organisation. The Ministry of Education (almost Ministry of Magic!) has acknowledged the importance of NZSL implenented into early invertention for deaf children aged 0-5. This is rather impressive!

Bensley et al stressed on how Deaf culture, Maori culture and other cultures in New Zealand should be respected.

Interestingly, Bensley et al said there’s interpreter funding for Deaf parents who participate in key education activities such as parent/teacher interviews, school performances and whatnot. This is amazing; Australia should consider doing something similar as I’ve heard stories of Deaf parents missing out on key education activities their children are a part of.

First Signs, a brilliant initiative established by Deaf Aotearoa, provides families, who have deaf and hard of hearing children, with opportunities to include NZSL as an additional language in their home. Bensley et al said that the initative also encourages families to become bimodal, and connects them with deaf professionals and the Deaf community in New Zealand.

NZSL@SCHOOL – a joint initative between the Ministry of Education and two Deaf schools in New Zealand:

The project is focused on deaf children who use Auslan, although living in remote areas causes them to become isolated from other deaf children across the country. There are challenges within the project: complexity in education; the ability of teachers; lack of services in their home area; and cultural differences.

More positive outcomes from the project include: cultural exchange; storytelling; developing a sense of deaf identity; and accessing information about the deaf community. The project has also reduced isolation and developed essential conversational skills, and exposure to Auslan.

The project not only benefits deaf children, but their families and teachers also develop confidence in Auslan to communicate with assigned deaf mentor.

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2 comments on “Inspirations in Istanbul – Day 3 cont’d”

My name is Rupmani and i have Deaf. I went through the website and i liked it. I want to be involved with this network and be update on news on Deaf people and thier rights from The Linguistic-Cultural Rights in Deaf Education and the Sign Language Act in Finland – Jaana Aaltonen (Finland).

In india, i am members of the National Association of the Deaf india and at present i m working in a delhi based NGO child rights as a programme Associate officer and Data entry.

In India i m a member of the National Association of the Deaf india and at present and i m working in Delhi based child rights NGO as a programme officer and data entry … The Linguistic-Cultural Rights in Deaf Education and the Sign Language Act in Finland – Jaana Aaltonen (Finland). this is great news…